Early waking and cranky child.. help!

DD just about to turn 3, gave up day naps a long time ago but still always slept 7pm-7am (or later) so the no day nap thing was fine.But now she has started waking up earlier and earlier in the morning and she is cranky all the time. She seems always on edge, the slightest telling off for anything or she doesn't get her way with something she turns into a sobbing mess.I have encouraged her to have a day sleep for a few days but it seems to make it worse, she will only have one if she happens to fall asleep on the couch, and it's really late in the day, but then when she wakes up she is a total mess, crying uncontrollably for up to 2 hours, saying she wants cuddles even if I am holding her etc.It's driving me mad! I am so over hearing her be so upset for no reason, it is heartbreaking and I know all she needs it a bit more sleep.If I try and put her to bed earlier she says she isn't tired and plays up for ages before going to sleep... so I think my only solution is to get her to sleep in later... but how?!?!Anyone got any thoughts??

My DD is like this. What we have found is that she is generally waking because she is busting for the toilet. So what I do is at 4am, after I feed my 8month old, i take her to the toilet and tuck her in. Works most of the time :0) goodluck

I brought back her nap, but made it earlier in the day (around 10.30am-12pm) and her night sleep has improved again and she's happy again. That was just over a year ago and she's turning 4 this weekend and still napping.

We are having the same problem here. Wake up at 6am, cranky and tired by 7am! I make my daughter nap about 11am. Most days she doesn't mind going for a sleep because she is tired. Other days I have to introduce some sort of bribe. For example yesterday was, we are going to the pool once you have had your sleep. No sleep, no pool.

I was thinking toilet during the night might help and making sure she's not cold too early.Other than that no much you can do. We used to drive DD1 around in the car at that age as she was unbearable otherwise. Not every day but if I could time a car trip I did so at 1 pm. Then I would sit in the car for an hour. DD2 would watch a DVD in the car. Not always possible obviously.

It's definitely not a toilet thing... most mornings she doesn't go to the toilet as soon as she wakes up... this morning for example she woke up at 5.45am... but didnt' want to go to the toilet until 7.30am.I don't think it's a cold thing... she is usually a hot sleeper and the weather is pretty mild at the moment.

That's what Dh said, just take her for a drive everyday... I'm like yeah, easier said then done, usually takes her a good half an hour to fall asleep in the car and then I have to hang out in there until she wakes up again!!And if I don't time it at the same time DS needs to sleep then he will be cranky in the car.

lozoodle how did you convince her to nap again? DD doesn't want a bar of it

I just said she could lay quietly on the lounge and watch a movie or read a book, but if she mucked up she had to go to bed. I just was consistent and she realised I wasnt kidding. Remember you are the parent, not her

We're having the exact same issues. She's got blockout curtains & still wears nappy pants to bed. Ive put a movie on for her during the day & she's fallen asleep watching it but wakes up so much worse than she was beforehand.

We have a gro-clock & have had a lot of success with it but if she wants to get out of her bed before the sun there is no stopping her.

I sympathise with you as I had a great 7pm to 7am sleeper (from about 6 weeks) and then at about 3 he started waking earlier and earlier. at first I just thought it was a one off early wake up but then it became habit (sometimes he would think 3.30am was wake up time). I tried quite a few things but what seemed to work best was a plug in light on a timer (total cost about $20NZ from Bunnings) that came on at 6.30am in the morning. He was allowed out of bed to go to the toilet but aside from that had to stay in bed till the light came on and if he did he got a sticker on a chart - 7 stickers meant a treat. often I would hear him wake early but would usually go back to sleep watching the light waiting for it to come on. Good luck.

We were well past day sleeps by age 3. I agree with a previous poster that her bladder may be waking her - that is certainly the case with my DS. He needs to wake once overnight to go to the toilet - he can't last the whole night, however, if it is light when he wakes then he won't go back to sleep even he really needs an extra couple of hours. You could try taking her to the toilet just as you are going to bed and see if that makes any difference. Block out curtains also help during the summer.

Thinking about trying a gro-clock to keep her in bed longer... anyone tried one before?

I bought my DD one for Christmas. She is 3.5yo and quite 'obedient' so I knew she would follow what I told her.

Anyway.....here is my verdict.....

LIFE CHANGING!

Wish I had got one earlier. I started setting the sun for 645am so not too much of a shock and then to 7am. She is sleeping so much longer and now even sleeps past the sun until 730/8am. I think she was getting up as soon as she stirred (say 6am) but now she actually goes back to sleep. The change in her temprement is also noticable. Not to mention mine! I sleep until 7 at least now. Even the baby is sleeping longer as she used to wake him up to.

Also DD loves it. She loves turning it to night and seeing the star, she loves the nightlight and she thinks the whole get up at the sun is great. I think she is just one of those kids that loves rules and boundries so she is responding really well to it.

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